Per Mertesacker is entrusted with the job of collecting fines from Arsenal players in breach of club discipline but the German may find himself going cap in hand to manager Arsene Wenger for his place in the team.

Tottenham coach Andre Villas-Boas today confirmed the club are in talks with Valencia over a deal to sign striker Roberto Soldado.

Spurs responded quickly to the threat of losing out to Liverpool, as revealed by Standard Sport yesterday, by sending director of football Franco Baldini to Spain to meet with club officials and the 28-year-old’s agent last night.

The club are desperate to sign a forward having missed out on Aston Villa star Christian Benteke, who decided to stay put, but the £25.8million asking price for Soldado remains an issue.

Villas-Boas said: “He’s just one of the players we are interested in. It’s not a lie to anybody that we’ve been looking for a striker to strengthen our squad.

“Roberto is one of the players we have been following and his career speaks for itself. He’s a great striker. But there isn’t a deal being struck at the moment, it’s just interest and conversations.”

Soldado’s wage demands aren’t believed to be a problem, with the club prepared to offer the Spain international around £58,000-a-week to lure him to White Hart Lane.

But Valencia president Amadeo Salvo admits the two clubs remain far apart over the asking price, although more talks are expected. He said: “Tottenham’s mission is to get the player as cheaply as possible, while ours is to receive €30 million (£25.8m). There’s not much room for manouevre.

“For a deal to take place two things have to happen: the player has to want to go and they need to pay what Valencia demand.”

Valencia coach Miroslav Djukic remains confident that Soldado, who scored 24 goals in La Liga last season, will remain in his squad.

He said: “I do not believe that any club will pay Soldado’s buy-out clause. What I think is that he will stay with us, although I cannot guarantee anything.

“In football and in life you have to be prepared for anything. We all want him to stay and we think that he will, but it is possible that someone could actually meet that buy-out clause even if I do not think that will happen.

“Since the start we have said that Soldado is not for sale and that the only way that he could leave is if someone meets the buy-out clause amount and the player accepts it.”

That buy-out clause expires on August 3 and Liverpool, who are currently on a pre-season tour in Australia, are also expected to step up their efforts.

Meanwhile, Villas-Boas has once again told Real Madrid and Manchester United that Gareth Bale is not for sale.

United refuse to give up the fight for the Wales international, while there have been more reports in Spain that Bale wants to join Real.

But Villas-Boas remains adamant and said: “I want to become repetitive from what I was telling you last season and from the beginning of pre-season. The player is one we are willing to continue to have as a Tottenham player.

“He is one of the most fantastic players in the world at the moment. We are counting on him for the future.”

Former Spurs captain Ledley King, who works for the Tottenham Hotspur Foundation, added: “I know Gareth’s happy. He’s come back in good spirits and I’m hoping he’s going to have a good season again. He’s a good lad, he’s got a good head on his shoulders and he knows the main thing for him is just to concentrate on his football and the rest will take care of itself.”

Bale, who scored 26 goals for Spurs last season, will not play against Sunderland tomorrow in the Barclays Asia Trophy in Hong Kong after picking up a knock in training. Hecould feature in second match on Saturday against Manchester City or South China FC.

Meanwhile Belgian winger Nacer Chadli, Spurs’ new £7m signing, has joined the squad and took part in his first training session this morning.